Back on the Scene

Peace!!!!!!!

I needed some time off to attend to other things and get back on my Raw grind.

So I'm back!

I think what I've been missing are my lil' supplemental goodies that I coveted so much. You know, goji berries, coconut butter, all that good stuff. It made Raw more exciting. So I think this weekend I'll be placing an order, b.u.t for what, I'm not sure yet. Whatever it is though, it has to last, b/c if my sweetie gets his hands on some gojis or cashews, it's game over. They'll be gone in a few days. lol

So on Sunday my sweetie, babies and I went to Mecca (Harlem) to attend Parliament for Father Allah's physical Day. I was able to meet my buddy finally C'BS Alife Allah, who blogs on Black to Nature: Adventures of an Urban Raw Foodist. We go back to the GI2MR and SoulVegFolk days (which I'm hopping back on Give it to Me Raw woot!) so it was really peace to build with him and his alikes. Gave me more motivation to stand on my square and keep it raw!

Purple Powder all day Son. LOL

Peace!

Creative Energies

Peace!

Just droppin' a lil' early morning gem on a delicious smoothie I enjoyed about an hour ago.

Yesterday while I was at the store, I picked up some Goya guava juice and figured it may be a nice lil' twist to a smoothie. Indeed it was. Normally though, I will use frozen fruit but was busy with a lot of errands and didn't have time to encompass the entire store.

Guavananaberry Smoothie:

• Guava juice or nectar
• Coconut water
• 2 bananas
• Strawberries

I have yet to venture out to the other boroughs to peep out any future addictions of mine b.u.t soon I will; it's too cold to be wandering aimlessly around Brooklyn and such with the Seed. Best believe when I do, I'll have pics to post.

**For all my Vegan alikes I will be adding a recipe blog to my Cipher. I've gotten quite a few inquiries on how I get down in the kitchen so look for that in the next day or two**

Peace!!

Slave Food...

Peace!

Today was quite an interesting day...

I got a phone call this morning from the extended fam saying they were heading into Detroit and asked if I wanted to come. Of course! With me leaving to go back home in just a few days this would be my last chance to experience my (only) favorite place here in Michigan.

So she comes through, scoops the Seed and I up and long story short, the task at hand come to find out was to swing through the Eastern Market to purchase some.....

........wait for it.......:

Chitlins.

Yes!!! *retch*

Oh My Gawd it was like walking into a morgue. Hog maw, pig heads, pigs feet, and every other unidentifiable body part scooped out of the deceased was all out for display and it was PACKED full of people (mainly older folk) trying to squeeze through the crowds and place their order.

To me it didn't reek too much in there. I guess because it was such a big building and it was very open, and plus I'm used to the smell of death (sadly). Had I been pregnant I would not have made it through the door.

However, tucked all the way in the corner of this one particular section of the market was a very cozy and quaint health food store. I was elated! I hung out there for a bit while the fam made their purchases. I bought some aloe vera gel (woot!), coconut water to drink on the way home and some coconut oil for my hair.

Unfortunately I did have to ride an hour and a half in the car with like 10 lbs of chitlins in the trunk (in an SUV so the funk just flowed freely throughout). 0_o

What is it about slave food that our people hold on to?

I mean these folks were excited to get their hands on these chitlins. Who wants to spend 3 hours out of their day cleaning fecal matter out of their food? I just cannot fathom that.

Is it that they believe they are paying homage to their ancestors who didn't have a choice in what they ate? Or is it that they have yet to have been liberated? I mean, the people around here are seriously about 25 years behind. You would think the elections might have unlocked some 'freedom' within these folks but obviously not. Must've been the wrong key.

They still talk about who has good hair/bad hair or what parent gave their child his light 'skin-did' complexion on a daily basis. The concept of 'Asiatic', 'Original Man/Woman', or 'Supreme Being' has not permeated any town north of Detroit. It's a damn shame. We're still battling amongst ourselves after all this time.

I wanted locs done before I left and I asked this girl if she knew how to start them and she looked at me completely puzzled.

......locs.....?

......................dreadlocks?........'oh!!!!! no.......sorry.'

Of course I'm asking a chick who is rocking a wig on top of a wig (word is bond) so I should've anticipated her answer but who doesn't know locs?

But I digress.

I never grew up with slave food, nor anything that could be constituted as 'soul food' neither. It's a heart attack on a plate. I don't know what's so good about it.

Watch people indulge in this type of food and how their body reacts shortly thereafter. It's like that scene in Sugar Hill when Roemello and Raynathan's father took that very last hit. A slightly dramatic analogy but shit, this slave food is just a slower method with the same end result.

Break free from the shackles of oppression and let that mentality (and awful eating) go!!

Christmas and Jeebus

Fa la la la la la la la lot of crap.

In my 'old' age (or age of awareness I guess), I've gotten out of the habit of celebrating Christmas. I mean, let's use Dec 25th to celebrate my birthday even though in all actuality it was 6 months ago. That's what the 85ers are doing.

Christmas has never been about Christ and his 'birth' for some time now. If it was, then why do people become so agitated during the Holiday season and trample over innocent store workers because of discounts? With the way our economy is now, the shit that has been on sale since Black Friday still is, maybe even more than it was a month ago.

People like to pull out the 'Baby Jesus in the Manger' card when it gets heavy but there are no thoughts of Jesus when that credit card is being swiped. I'm not stressing myself out to buy an assload of gifts specifically for this day when it could have been bought the day before or day after and still hold the same meaning: at the end of the day it's something new to play with (or flaunt) and there's nothing more or less to it.

When I have a Toys R Us toy catalog flapping in my face (every morning!) at 8 am (while still resting!!) with little red circles, stars and check marks all over it from my then 5 year old daughter, I knew it was getting out of hand. I stopped getting into the Xmas swing of things 3 years ago but only put up half a front for my daughter since she was already accustomed to it.

But my lil' Moon is wise beyond her years so I was able to break it down to her. She's cool with not celebrating this season anymore at home, but if the rest of her 85 family wants to spoil her and buy a pink Nintendo DS then go right ahead. That's $129 I get to keep in my pocket for a little bit longer. Everyday is a holiday in our home.

For your viewing pleasure, I have included a YouTube video going into this post further and in more exact detail. Peace!!!

Cravings

Peace!

You know you're progressing on your raw food journey when you begin to crave fresh foods.

For instance, since yesterday I've been craving a salad with sprouts and avocado. I made good on that (which I'm actually eating now) by mixing some alfalfa sprouts, avocado, fresh sweet corn, dill, broccoli florets, lemon juice, Ms. Dash and a sprinkle of sea salt in a bowl and calling it a day.

I know to the 85ers looking at what I'm diggin' into right now they would not be able to comprehend nor would they even try to. Cause to be honest, it's not visually very appetizing. But it's fresh, delicious, and alkaline so I could care less. No bubble guts for me!!! =^_^=

The only thing that I still crave on occasion that is not raw is Papa John's Veggie pizza with no cheese, no olives, extra sauce and pineapples. I haven't gotten past that yet; in due time I'm stop salivating over it. =D

So I realized that I don't really post what I'm eating on a daily basis. Initially that was the premise of this blog but once again the science takes over and I just have to share it with you all.

Ravynn's Rundown 12-4-08:

Lara bar
Apple
Pomegranate Plunge (from Tropical Smoothie)
Sprout and Avo salad
Green Tea
Water

Note to self: drinking a frozen ass smoothie in 20 degree weather is probably not a good idea when you're out running errands all day. I was very very cold.

Here's my music drop for y'all-it's played in a continuous loop in my head since this morning. Pharrell and the Yessirs's remix of 'Take it Off (Dim the Lights)'. It's ill!!!! I sent this to my hubby to be and it's stuck in his head now too (love you!). LOL



Peace!!

Brooklyn-Day Five

Peace!!!

I couldn't wait to drop this post today...This morning I finally got to use the ingredients I received yesterday. Whoooo!!! It was worth the wait, that joint was so good. It tasted like a Creamsicle but ridiculously purple.

• One spoonful of Purple Corn Powder
• One spoonful of Coconut Butter
• One banana
• Half of one mango (a whole one is fine too)
• Water
  
• Bolthouse Farms Clementine Juice

That yielded about 14 oz or so in my one serving blender. For more, adjust the measurements however you like. In actuality you probably don't need the water; I added it first (not that much maybe 2 oz) and on a whim I added about 4 oz of Clementine Juice last (hey it was on sale and you know Bolthouse Farms juices aint cheap).

Anyways, I'm really contemplating purchasing something this week-maybe bee pollen or Maca...or whatever. Haven't decided yet. After I peep out the health food store here in town I'll make my decision.

Ok so topic of discussin for today is Brooklyn (aka Medina). I was really game to move there a few months ago but I was having difficulty finding a place from 1200 miles away in Florida. Who couldn't love Brooklyn? lol I mean c'mon-there are an abundance of diverse veg*ns and even raw foodists in the area and it's nice to be able to have that network available to you where you're not judged as being an elitist. Plus I feel it's time to receive the knowledge of Self, and have my seeds do the same. I'm not feelin' the idea of them walkin around like drones 'deaf dumb and blind'...and it seems no one else is trying to prevent that from happening to them (cause they obviously don't know any better). Mama can't rock like that.

So next is just getting there-when, and how. Soon my friends, soon.

To end this entry I was readin' a blog by my ace C'BS Alife Allah called Black To Nature and I guess it stuck in my head long enough for me to put a spin on Soul II Soul's 'Back to Life' joint...heehee so that's my joint of the day: